How CISA Helps Empower Women While Securing The Nation

Sandy Radesky’s background in the security and defense industry is vast and impressive. Currently serving as the Associate Director of Vulnerability Management at CISA, she is a key figure in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity.

An Extensive Background

Radesky started her career in the military, eventually becoming a defense contractor before becoming a government civilian. “I started as a small team lead, eventually became an executive, running a whole CIO portfolio, and then eventually coming to CISA,” Radesky shared.

Throughout her career, Radesky has broken through a lot of glass ceilings, noting that fifteen years ago, she didn’t have very many female colleagues in the cyber field. “Women organically are very resilient,” Radesky said, explaining how the experience of being a woman translates to the challenging scenarios cyber provides.

Adaptability and agility

Over the past twenty years, technology has rapidly advanced. As Radesky puts it, cyber careers require agility and adaptability – skills that women inherently have.

“We are very adaptive. We’re agile; we’re creative. We can multitask; we’re really good communicators. All of those skills are needed in cybersecurity, and I would welcome any conversation to try to sway more women to come into this field because they’re definitely needed.”

CISA’s commitment to women in cyber

CISA is involved in different partnerships aimed at attracting the right candidates. Their Women in Cybersecurity partnership creates an opportunity to meet women across the community who are new to the field or looking to bring their existing skills to CISA. “A lot of my colleagues, myself included, are involved in that partnership,” Radesky explained, and it’s making a big difference. “Especially for young, talented women seeking their degrees and trying to determine if they want to go into cybersecurity.”

Radesky is also active in the Scholarships for Service program and sponsors several women pursuing cybersecurity or computer science degrees. “They do internships here and potentially look at serving the nation in a federal position in the future,” she said.

Being a young agency, CISA is on the cutting edge of cybersecurity and technology at large. “We’re doing so many new things that not a lot of other agencies are getting to do,” Radesky shared. “We’re influencing both our industry partners and future changes in policy.”

“It’s an amazing place to work,” Radesky noted, highlighting CISA’s welcoming and inclusive culture as well as the wealth of opportunities to make a big impact. With trailblazers like Radesky leading the way, CISA continues to evolve and thrive with an increasingly diverse and empowered workforce.